Jackie Gleason Biography

The famous American actor and comedian Jackie Gleason was known for his brazen comedy style. After the death of his mother, he moved to New York City and found his first professional gigs as a comedian. He was spotted by film studio executive Jack L. Warner, who signed him to a contract with Warner Bros. When Warner Bros chose not to renew his contract, he returned to New York from Hollywood, and made a name for himself as a Broadway performer, appearing in productions including, “Follow the Girls”. Taking advantage of the rising television media, he signed to star in, “The Life of Riley”, as the titular husband and father, bumbling his way through daily events. He began hosting and performing in his, “Cavalcade of Stars”, and later, “The Jackie Gleason Show”, on CBC. Among the skits regularly featured on the show was an ongoing routine focusing on bus driver Ralph Kramden, his wife Alice, and their neighbors Ed and Trixie Norton. This became an hour long sitcom called, “The Honeymooners”. He acted in several movies such as, “The Hustler”, “Smokey and the Bandit” and its two sequels, and “The Toy”. Apart from these, he shone in Broadway winning a Tony Award for “Take Me Along”. He also made his mark in the music industry with a series of best-selling “mood music”.